IT’S the most popular murder mystery ever written and the seventh best-selling novel of all time.

Agatha Christie’s, And Then There Were None, which has sold more than 100m copies will be brought back to life on stage courtesy of the Regent Rep in Christchurch.

The nationally acclaimed in-house theatre company includes regulars such as Ian Knight who plays retired judge Sir Lawrence Wargrave and Tim Wallace-Abbott as mercenary soldier Philip Lombard, with Clare Rhodes returning to play former governess Vera Claythorne.

Ten strangers – each one guarding a terrible secret – are mysteriously lured under different pretexts to a desolate island off the coast of Devon. As their secrets are remorselessly revealed, the killer strikes – again and again. The backdrop to each death is the nursery rhyme Ten Little Soldier Boys.

Director Jackie Brocklesby said: “What a joy to work on this gem! Inspired by the BBC’s recent production, we have been delighted to discover a work of genius.

“Christie’s writing is concise, the plot flawless and the characters are real people with complex, interesting lives. Christie wrote every detail of the script herself, including providing specific directions for the movement to ensure maximum suspicious activity and genuine culpability for guilty parties, to keep our audiences guessing till the very end.”

Written in 1939, And Then There Were None is widely praised as Agatha Christie’s masterpiece.

It is certainly her most popular novel with over 100 million copies sold, making it the world’s best-selling murder mystery and seventh best-selling novel of all time.

Agatha Christie’s, And Then There Were None, is at the Regent from Thursday, October 19 to Saturday October 21 at 7.30pm and a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets £12.50 call 01202 499199 or visit regentcentre.co.uk. All proceeds go to the Regent Centre development fund.